We’ve arrived in Los Angeles! Hollywood! Universal Studios! Sunset Boulevard! Melrose Avenue! Hey, wasn’t that Melrose Place, a nineties soap opera? Hang on a tic, look at that Ford. All I could think was, “What an awesome farm truck!”
And so began the farming scavenger hunt on the drive from the airport to the hotel. That yellow Chevrolet next to it was calling my name.
You know you’re in L.A., specifically Universal City, when your hotel lobby is plastered in photos of movie stars. Swoon. That and tiny plates of food that look as though they were baked and served to leprechauns (or maybe fairies), traffic that boggles my mind, oh, and shopping, and celebrities.
That’s right. Celebrities.
Justin Bieber
Oh, the challenges of a superheroine …
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia
I mean, can you imagine trying to find your way to all of the derailed trains, burning buildings, and distressed damsels in a city like Los Angeles?
Heck, with my sense of direction, Boise would be in trouble. Let’s just say that, when it comes to geography, Google is this girl’s best friend.
I didn’t realize until recently, though, that Google can give me the power to map a metropolis AND save the planet.
It’s true.
Do you want to know the trick?
We’ve been nut harvestin’ here at the farm this week. During the summer, edible English walnuts are covered with a green husk. In the fall, when the walnuts are ready for harvest, the husks crack and break apart. I purchased my English walnut saplings from Burnt Ridge Nursery, 360-985-2873, www.burntridgenursery.com, and I’ve been very pleased with how well they’ve grown and produced fruit. Below is my father’s walnut cracker invention …
…my mom.
It’s National Bosses’ Day and in honor of my boss, I just wanted to say…Mom, you’re the best there is!
Hold on to your egg shells, farm sisters, because you might just …
CRACK UP
when you hear this:
Neiman Marcus has unveiled its 86th annual Fantasy Gifts collection, and, MERCY!
The selection this year had me sucking air in through my teeth, then exhaling it in a whistle.
Got your Christmas gift list handy?
Well, then, take a gander at this lil’ beauty:
The Beau Coop Heritage Hen Mini Farm (Photo courtesy of Neiman Marcus)
After we gathered the walnuts from our 100-year-old black walnut trees.
We had to figure out how to get crackin’ (remove the hulls) so they can dry.
Best way to do that?
With a tractor, of course.
Update: Jesse and his team have reached their goal! Thanks to everyone who donated! 🙂 Look for the new farming app, Agrisaurus, coming out soon.
Wow! Front yard garden? This is called Farmscape. I jumped for joy. You will, too, when you see what Jesse DuBois and his team have in the works at KickStarter. (KickStarter is a website that acts as a funding platform for creative projects.) In 2010, DuBois began project building and maintaining intensive food gardens for Farmscape, the largest urban farming venture in California. This venture soon inspired Agrisaurus. Which, by the way, is an awesome name.
Farmscape is defeating big food with small food …
Buy props used in MaryJane’s books and magazine!
5% of profits will benefit www.firstbook.org, a non-profit that provides new books to children from low-income families throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Here’s how:
MaryJane will post a photo and a description of a prop and its cost along with a few details as to its condition here: https://shop.maryjanesfarm.org/MaryJanesCurations. It’s a playful way to be the new owner of a little bit of farm herstory.
